Method and apparatus for separating components from comminuted alloys

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for separating components from comminuted alloys having a housing with a kettle therein spaced from the housing and having a flange engaging the inner wall of the housing and dividing the same into upper and lower compartments. The alloy to be treated is introduced into the kettle in comminuted form together with a leaching solution and heated gas introduced in the lower compartment to bring about reaction between the alloy and leaching solution. The resultant liquid and precipitate are pumped into filters in the upper chamber from which the liquid is drained back over heating baffles into the kettle. Vaporized liquid is removed from the apparatus and condensed. The filters are mounted on a carriage slidable along rails in the upper chamber and removed through an opening in the housing, said opening being closed when the apparatus is in operation.

United States Patent w13,ss4,ss4

[72] Inventor Asparough Trendov 4257 Wooddale Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. 55416 [21] Appl. No. 803,741 [22] Filed Mar. 3, 1969 [45] Patented June 15, 1971 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING COMPONENTS FROM COMMINUTED ALLOYS 11 Claims, Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. CI. 266/12, 75/101, 75/109 [51] Int. Cl C22b 9/02 [50] Field of Search 75/101, 108,109;266/9,12

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 837,832 12/1906 Hendryx 266/12 834,803 10/1906 Hendryx 266/12 Primary Examiner-Gerald A. Dost Attorney-IkelC. Benson ABSTRACT: Apparatus for separating components from comminuted alloys having a housing with a kettle therein spaced from the housing and having a flange engaging the inner wall of the housing and dividing the same into upper and lower compartments. The alloy to be treated is introduced into the kettle in comminuted form together with a leaching solution and heated gas introduced in the lower compartment to bring about reaction between the alloy and leaching solution. The resultant liquid and precipitate are pumped into filters in the upper chamber from which the liquid is drained back over heating baffles into the kettle. Vaporized liquid is removed from the apparatusand condensed. The filters are mounted on a carriage slidable along rails in the upper chamber and removed through an opening in the housing, said opening being closed when the apparatus is in operation.

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q as as as 1 j i I m5 KM 23 102 36 I04 I05 28 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING COMPONENTS FROM COMMINUTED ALLOYS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to method and apparatus for separating components from comminuted alloys.

PRIOR ART The prior art known to applicant discloses no apparatus for the separation of the components of alloys.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION .Since the prior art known to applicant fails to disclose any apparatus capable of separating the components of alloys, it is believed that the subject matter disclosed in the abstract of the disclosure constitutes a summary of applicants invention.

In the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an elevational longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus taken on line 1-1 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and drawn to a greater scale.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view looking toward the opening in the housing through which the precipitate is removed and with the door open.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of one of the rail extensions removed from the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and drawn to a still greater scale.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

The invention utilizes a cylindrical housing 10 which has a cylindrical wall structure 11, a flat bottom 12 and a conical top 13 and which has a stack 14 at the upperend of the same. This stack has a passageway 15 which communicates with the interior 16 of the housing. The housing 10 is constructed'with a shell 17 and a liner 18 spaced from the shell to provide a space therebetween filled with heat insulating material 19 for reducing the heat loss from the interior of the housing. The housing rests on posts 36 and has an access opening 37 near the bottom 12 closed by a door 38.

Within the housing 10 is a kettle 20 having a cylindrical wall 21 of lesser diameter than the diameter of the liner 18 to form an annular space 22 therebetween. The kettle 20 has a bottomv 23 sloping toward the center of the same and. to which is welded a discharge pipe 24 which extends through the bottom 12 of the housing 10. The kettle 20 is supported on a number of tubular standards 25 having pads 26 at their upper'ends and on which the bottom 23 of kettle 20 rest. These standards pass through the bottom 12 of housing 27 and are attached to bases 28 which rest on the floor of the building in which the apparatus is housed.

Issuing outwardly'from the upper open end of the kettle 20 is a flange 29 which has an upwardly turned collar 31. This collar fits the liner 18 and is secured thereto by means of screws 32 or otherwise to form a tight joint between said liner and kettle. The construction divides the interior 16 of housing 10 into an upper compartment 34 and a lower compartment 35, said lower compartment communicating with the annular space 22.

In the upper compartment 34 of housing 10 is disposed filter means 40 which consists of filters 41 constructed from bags of porous material such as fabric or porous plastic material. Fine woven metal screen can also be used. These bags have in.- wardly turned flanges 47 which are clamped between outer rings 42 and inner rings 48. These filters are arranged in four rows 43, 44, 45 and 46 (FIGS. 2 and 3). There are six filters in each of the rows. These rows have longitudinal manifolds 51, 52, 53 and 54 disposed above the same. The manifolds 51, 52, 53 and 54 have nipples 55 depending from the same which are welded to said manifolds and to circular plates 56 having holes 57 in the same registering with the bores ofsaid nipples. These plates overlie the rings 42 and are secured thereto by means of capscrews 58 passing through said plates and screwed into said rings. Overlying the manifolds 51, 52, 53and 54 at the midpoints of the same is a single cross manifold 61. This manifold and the manifolds 51, 52, 53 and 54 are notched and welded together and bring the first-named manifolds into communication with the last-named manifold. The manifold 61 has issuing upwardly from it at its center a nipple 63 which has attached to it a flange 64. This flange has'bolted to it by bolts 65 a flanged elbow 66 which in turn has bolted to it a flanged pipe 67 extending through the wall 11 of housing 10.

The pipe 67 is supported near its inner end by means of a channel beam 71 which is mounted on brackets 72'secured to the liner 18. A U-bolt 73 encircles the pipe 67 and attaches the same to said beam.

The entire filtering means 40 is supported for sliding movement along rails 81 and 82 through an opening 83 in the wall 11 of Housing 10. These rails are in the form of angle members and are supported on brackets 84 attached to liner 18 and are disposed inwardly of the sides of the opening 83. Slidable along the rails 81 and 82 are two cross beams 85 and 86 which are welded to the longitudinal manifolds 51, 52, 53, and 54. The ends of said cross beams ride on the lower flanges 87 of the rails 81 and 82.

The kettle 20 is heated by any suitable heating means, not shown and producing a hot gas suitable for the purpose. This gas is received from a flanged pipe 91 attached to the outer shell 17 of the housing 10 and passes into the lower compartment 35 in the interior 16 of said housing through an opening 92 in wall structure 11 of housing 10. Here the hot gases pass underneath the kettle 20 and around the kettle in the annular space 22 and is discharged from compartment 35 through and opening 94 in wall 11 and is conducted away by an elbow 95 connected to said housing and a pipe 96 connected to said elbow.

The discharge pipe 24 leading from kettle 20 is connected to the center flange of a flange tee 101. Two pipes 102 and 103 are connected to the other two flanges. Pipe 102 is con- I nected to a solenoid operated valve 104 which is connected by a pipe 105 to a source of leaching liquid not shown. The-other pipe 103 is connected to an elbow 106 which is connected to a pipe 107. This pipe is connected by an elbow 108 to the intake of a pump 111 mounted on a support 112. Also mounted on said support is an electric motor 113 which drives the pump 111 through a coupling 114. A pipe 115 is connected to the outlet pump 111 and to another elbow 116. This elbow is further connected to a pipe 117 which is directly connected to the pipe 67 within the upper compartment and discharging into all ofthe filters 41.

At the upper portion of the kettle 20 is reheating means 120 which includes a conical baffle 121 of lesser diameter than the inner diameter of said kettle leaving an annular passageway the flange 29 of the kettle 20. These arms have offsets1l24 which engage the wall 21 of said kettle and center the baffle in the kettle. Immediately below the baffle 121 is an inverted conical baffle 125 which fits snugly in the wall 21 of the kettle. This baffle has a hole 126 in the center of it and is supported on three brackets 127 attached to the wall 21 of said kettle. A pipe 131 extending through the wall 11 of housing 10 directs heated gas into the space 132 between the baffles 121 and 125 and heats the same.

The stack l4 has secured to it an elbow 133 and which has secured to it a pipe 134 by means of which fumes and vapors produced in the process may be conducted out of the apparatus and delivered to a condenser, not shown, andfrom which the reclaimed leaching liquid may be returned to the opening 83 in wall 21 of housing 10. This .opening is closed when the apparatus is in operation by means of a door 135.

This door is of construction similar to that of wall structure 21 of housing 10, and fits into the opening 83 and has the same curvature as said wall structure. This door has a flange 136 projecting outwardly from the body 137 ofthe door and which overlies the marginal portions 141 of the shell 17 surrounding the opening 83. Door 135 swings on hinges 142 secured to said door and shell 17 and has a latch 143 pivoted to it and engageable with a keeper 144 mounted on the shell 17.

In order to support the filter means 40 when the same is moved out of the upper compartment 34 rail extensions 145 are employed which are provided with downwardly projecting pins 146 on their horizontal flanges 148 adapted to enter mating holes 147 drilled in the underlying flanges 87 of the rails 81 and 82 when the extensions are nested in the rails. Clips 151, FIG. attached to the rails 81 and 82 inwardly of the outer ends of the same are formed with hooks 152 which hook over the vertical flanges 153 of the rail extensions 145.

The method of using the invention is as follows: The filters and baffles 121 and 125 are first removed from the housing 10 and kettle through the opening 83 in the wall structure 21. The alloy to be treated is then cut or broken in small pieces and filled in the kettle 20 the desired height. The baffles 121 and 125 and filter means 40 are then replaced. The electrical circuit for valve 104 is normally open and valve 104 is closed. An upper level actuated switch 154 near the top of kettle 20 is in the circuit and is normally closed. When the manual switch in the circuit is closed, the leaching liquid flows by gravity or otherwise through the valve 104 and through pipes 102 and 24 into the kettle 20. The flow ofleaching liquid stops when the level of the liquid reaches switch 154. A pyrometer actuated switch 155 starts the motor 113 when the temperature is sufficiently high and pumps the liquid out of kettle 20 through pipes 103, 115, and 67 into the filters 41.

The precipitate is collected in the filters while the filterate drains through the same and is deposited upon the upper baffle 121. The liquid then flows toward the marginal portion of said baffle, through the annular passageway 122 between baffles and is deposited upon the baffle 125. The liquid thus deposited runs toward the center of the baffle 125 and through the hole 126 in the center of the said baffle and back into the kettle 20. Pumping of the liquid through the filter means continues until the pressure builds up in the filters to a predetermined amount when the apparatus is shut down. The door 135 is then opened and the screws 65 removed to free the filter means 40 from the elbow 66. Rail extensions 145 are then applied to rails 81 and 87 and the filter means is moved along the rails outwardly through opening 83 where the filter means is accessible for removal of the filters and the precipitate therefrom.

As a safety feature, a water glass 159 is employed which indicates the level of the liquid in the kettle 20. Also a pressure gage 157 in pipe 115 indicates the pressure in the filters which increases as the filters become filled with precipitates.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. Valuable metals can be recovered from scrap alloys having no inherent value. The apparatus is simple in construction and operation and can be built at a nominal expense.

One particular use of the invention is for reclaiming copper from scrap brass. In such use, the leaching liquid may contain ammonium hydroxide or sulfur dioxide.

What is believed to be new and entitled to patentable protection is set forth in the following claims.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for separating components from comminuted alloys comprising:

a. ahousing b. a kettle within the housing containing a comminuted alloy,

c. heating means for heating the kettle,

d. means for conveying a leaching liquid into the kettle, e. filter means within the housing disposed above the kettle, f. pumping means for pumping liquid from the kettle to the filter means, g. reheating means between the filter means and kettle and heating the filtrate discharged from the filter means and directing it back into the kettle. 2. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 1 in which:

a. the housing has a lateral wall structure with a space between the kettle and wall structure and b. into which the heating means directs hot gas into said space. 3. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 2 in which:

a. the kettle has a flange extending to the lateral wall structure and dividing the interior of the housing into b. an upper compartment and a c. lower compartment, and d. the filter means disposed in the upper compartment. 4. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 2 in which:

a. the heating means conducts the hot gas into the lower compartment. 5. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 1 in which:

a. the filter means consists of, b. a number of individual filters which are c. connected by interconnected manifolds and d. all of the filters are fed with liquid from said kettle by said pumping means. 6. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim Sin which:

a. the interconnected manifolds form a single unit, and b. are detachably connected to a pipe fed with liquid from the pumping means. 7. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 6 in which:

a. the interconnected manifolds have separate outlets, one

for each filter, and b. the filters are separately and detachably connected to said manifolds. 8. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 6 in which:

a. the interconnected manifolds are supported on b. rails and c. the filters are adapted to be moved simultaneously with said interconnected manifold outwardly through an opening in said housing, and cl. a movable closure closes said opening during operance of the apparatus. 9. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 1, in which:

a. the reheating means consists of b. two spaced heated plates over which c. the filtrate passes and is fed back into the kettle. 10. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 9 in which:

a. the plates are b. disposed one above the other, c. the upper is in the form ofa cone and d. discharges from its circumference to the lower plate and e. the lower plate is in the form of an inverted cone and has an opening at its vertex discharging into said kettle. 11. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 10 in which:

a. the reheating means directs hot gas into the space between said baffles. 

1. Apparatus for separating components from comminuted alloys comprising: a. a housing b. a kettle within the housing containing a comminuted alloy, c. heating means for heating the kettle, d. means for conveying a leaching liquid into the kettle, e. filter means within the housing disposed above the kettle, f. pumping means for pumping liquid from the kettle to the filter means, g. reheating means between the filter means and kettle and heating the filtrate discharged from the filter means and directing it back into the kettle.
 2. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 1 in which: a. the housing has a lateral wall structure with a space between the kettle and wall structure and b. into which the heating means directs hot gas into said space.
 3. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 2 in which: a. the kettle has a flange extending to the lateral wall structure and dividing the interior of the housing into b. an upper compartment and a c. lower compartment, and d. the filter means disposed in the upper compartment.
 4. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 2 in which: a. the heating means conducts the hot gas into the lower compartment.
 5. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 1 in which: a. the filter means consists of, b. a number of individual filters which are c. connected by interconnected manifolds and d. all of the filters are fed with liquid from said kettle by said pumping means.
 6. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 5 in which: a. the interconnected manifolds form a single unit, and b. are detachably connected to a pipe fed with liquid from the pumping means.
 7. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 6 in which: a. the interconnected manifolds have separate outlets, one for each filter, and b. the filters are separately and detachably connected to said manifolds.
 8. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 6 in which: a. the interconnected manifolds are supported on b. rails and c. the filters are adapted to be moved simultaneously with said interconnected manifold outwardly through an opening in said housing, and d. a movable closure closes said opening during operance of the apparatus.
 9. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 1, in which: a. the reheating means consists of b. two spaced heated plates over which c. the filtrate passes and is fed back into the kettle.
 10. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 9 in which: a. the plates are b. disposed one above the other, c. the upper is in the form of a cone and d. discharges from its circumference to the lower plate and e. the loweR plate is in the form of an inverted cone and has an opening at its vertex discharging into said kettle.
 11. Apparatus for separating the components from comminuted alloys according to claim 10 in which: a. the reheating means directs hot gas into the space between said baffles. 